Cheryl Melker was an “adrenaline junkie” who enjoyed being a scuba divemaster and riding her 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster near her home in North Carolina, Maine and Dutchess County.
she also Karate black belt 4th degree I also tried my hand at skydiving and bungee jumping. Now, Mehrkar has achieved another feat on his unusual resume. She is the world's first fully robotic double lung transplant recipient.
“I'm in awe. It's unbelievable,” Meaker, 57, told the Post on Wednesday, shortly after being discharged from NYU Langone Health.
Dr. Stephanie H. ChanAssociate Professor. Cardiothoracic surgery The New York University Grossman School of Medicine professor led the minimally invasive surgery on October 22nd.
After making a small incision between Meherkar's ribs, Chan used the da Vinci Xi robotic system to remove her diseased lung, prepare her heart and airways for transplant, and place the donor's lungs in place. sewn in.
“The benefit is that the incision is much smaller, which speeds up patient healing and reduces postoperative pain,” said Zhang, the hospital's chief of surgery. lung transplant program for New York University Langone Transplant Institute.
The Institute performed 76 lung transplants in 2023.
Just a few months ago Chan was praised For leading the nation's first fully robotic lung transplant using new technology to replace a man's right lung.
“This was a huge milestone for us, but what makes double lung transplants different is that the vast majority of patients receive double lung transplants,” Zhang explained. “So we needed to improve one technique that was short enough and efficient enough to do two techniques. [lungs] Treatment can be done in a short time without damaging new organs. ”
After the surgery, which lasted about seven hours, Meakar was surprised to find that he was able to “breathe well” almost immediately.
“And things just got better,” Melker exclaimed.
It's a stark contrast from 15 years ago, when she found herself a little short of breath while doing jumping jacks and sit-ups with karate students at the dojo she co-owns with her husband.
Melker was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2010, which prompted her to quit smoking.
COPD refers to a group of conditions that damage the lungs and restrict airflow, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Melker was later told that she had hyperthyroidism, which caused her to lose “incredible” weight, but “everything went downhill” in 2022 due to the coronavirus. That was when I contracted the virus.
She required home oxygen therapy, and her husband, Shahin, retired to become her caregiver. They closed their beloved dojo last year.
Mr. Melker is gofundme To help with media costs, he underwent surgery just days after being placed on the transplant list. She credits robotic technology with reducing pain and speeding up her recovery time.
“It was a very positive and healthy experience,” she said excitedly.
Meaker doesn't expect to be as adventurous as he used to be, but he does want to get back to the activities he loves, such as volunteering as an emergency medical technician at the Unionvale Fire Department in Dutchess County.
She also plans to write a letter to the family of the man who donated her lungs.
“I can only imagine the grief my family went through while I was recovering,” Meakar said. “And I just want them to know that he's alive and doing well. I'm going to do everything I can to protect these lungs. That's my promise.”
